Condenser unit air cleaner and housing



Oct. 24, 1967 D. D. DUPRE CONDENSER UNIT AIR CLEANER AND HOUSING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1964 Dennis D, Dupre Oct. 24,196?

D. D. DUPRE CONDENSER UNIT AIR CLEANER AND HOUSING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1964 Fig. 3

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Dennis 0. Dupre IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,348,365 CONDENSER UNIT AIR CLEANER AND HOUSEIG Dennis D. Dupre, Houma, La., assignor of forty percent to Lee P. Lottinger, Jr., Houma, La. Filed Oct. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 404,264

- 2 Claims. (Cl. 55-350) This invention generally relates to new and useful improvements in air conditioners particularly but by no means necessarily of the window type and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means for thoroughly cleaning or filtering the air entering the condenser unit of the conditioner.

Another highly important object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner of the aforementioned character which is designed to separate the air entering and leaving the condenser unit of the conditioner.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which will throroughly clean or filter the condenser unit air without restricting the fiow or volume thereof.

Another object is to provide an air conditioner condenser unit filter which is located on the exterior of the building for quick installation and ease of servicing.

Another object is to provide an improved cleaner or filter of the character set forth which may be readily installed for use on a conventional air conditioner without altering same structurally.

Still another important object is to provide a filter of the character set forth which is adapted to be mounted for use on different makes of air conditioners of various sizes within a given range.

Another object is to provide an air filter of the aforementioned character which, if desired, may be incorporated in the air conditioner at the factory.

Other objects are to provide an improved air conditioner condenser unit filter which is comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, showing an embodiment of the present invention installed on an air conditioner of the window type;

FIGURE 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical trans- Verse section through a side portion of the device, taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section through a side portion of the device, taken substantially on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a detail view in perspective, showing a back bracket which may be utilized for spacing the top of the cabinet from the condenser unit; and

FIGURE 6 is a detail view in perspective showing one of the front spacing brackets which may be used.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference numeral 8 generally designates the usual condenser or condensing unit of a conventional air conditioner 10 which is mounted in a window 12. The condenser unit 8 comprises a casing or cabinet 14 for the outer or rear end portion of which braces or props 16 are provided. The outer or rear end of the condenser casing 14 is provided with a screened outlet opening 18. Then, the side walls of the condenser casing or cabinet 14 are provided with inlets 19.

The embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a cabinet or housing 20 which is adapted to be telescopically and removably mounted on the condenser casing 14 in spaced relation thereto. The cabinet 20, which may be of any suitable material and dimensions, is provided with a. substantially open front at 22 for receiving the condensing unit 8.

In the embodiment shown, the cabinet 20 includes a back or outer wall 24, side walls 26, a bottom 23- and a top or r-oof 30. The back or outer wall 24 of the cabinet 20 is provided 'with. .a clear, unscreened outlet opening 31 in registry with the outlet 18 of the unit 8. The side walls 26 of the cabinet 20 are provided with inlet openings 32 which are provided with removable air filters 34. The bottom 28 of the cabinet 20 is provided with an air inlet opening 36 having removably mounted therein an air filter 37.

It will be noted that the marginal portions or eaves of the roof 30 project well beyond the vertical walls of the cabinet 20 for providing maximum protection from the elements. Also, the roof 30 of the cabinet 20 is vertically spaced above the top of the condenser cabinet or casing 14. Toward this end, rear and front supports or brackets 38 and 40, respectively, are provided for mounting the cabinet on the condenser 8 with the roof 30 in vertically spaced relation thereto. The brackets 38 and 40 are secured on the underside of the roof 30 and depend therefrom.

In the embodiment shown, each rear or back bracket 38 includes a vertical angle bar 42 one of the legs or flanges 44 of which comprises an angularly bent, apertured upper end portion 46 which is secured by a fastener 48 beneath the underside of the roof 30. The other flange or leg 50 of the angle bar 42 comprises an inwardly right angularly bent upper end portion 52 which is adapted to rest on top of the condenser cabinet or casing 14, the lower portion of said angle bar 42 receiving an upper corner portion of said condenser casing. In the embodiment which has been illustrated, each of the front brackets 40 comprises an angulated metallic bar 54 having a horizontal leg 56 adapted to rest on top of the condenser casing 14. This is shown to advantage in FIGURE 3 of the drawing. The leg 56 of the bar 54 terminates in a downturned end portion 58 which is engageable with the adjacent side wall of the condenser casing 14. The vertical leg 60 of the angulated bar 54 terminates in an inwardly projecting, horizontal upper end portion 62 which is apertured as at 64 for receiving screws or other fasteners for securing the bracket 40 to the underside of the roof 30.

The lower ends of the filters 34 are slidably inserted in brackets in the form of angle bars 66 (FIGURE 3) which are mounted on the inner side of the cabinet walls 26 adjacent the lower ends of the openings 32. Retaining fingers 68 are struck upwardly from the members 66 for engagement behind the filters 34 for releasably securing said filters in position. Of course, the fingers 68 are resilient. The removable bottom filter 37 rests on the bottom 28 of the cabinet 20 around the opening 36.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent, particularly to those in the field of air conditioning. Briefly, incoming air from the atmosphere passes through the filters 34 and 37 to the inlets 19 of the unit 8.

The construction, combination and arrangement of parts is such as to ensure an unrestricted flow of air to the condensing .unit. Droplets of water from the condensing unit fall by gravity to the filter 37 and saturate same in a manner to cool the air flowing therethrough. Of

course, air from the unit 14 is returned to the atmosphere through the opening 31. It will be noted that the construction and arrangement also is such that the unit of the present invention may be readily slipped on the condensing unit 8 of the air conditioner. If desired or necessary, any suitable means may be employed for securing the device in position on the air conditioner. As shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, the air inlet openings 32. are screened. If desired, all of the openings in the cabinet 20 may be screened or grilled. Also if desired, the front 22 of the cabinet 20 may be closed around the condenser casing 14 and provided with inlet openings and filters.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suiable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a tubular casing through which air is adapted to be pumped and having a pair of opposing side walls each of which having an air inlet opening and at least one additional transverse wall in which an air outlet opening is formed, said openings of the casing being defined in an end portion thereof, a protective cover cabinet housing supported, in part, on said casing, the end portion of said casing in which said inlet and outlet openings are formed being enclosed within said cabinet housing, said cabinet housing including a pair of opposing side wall panels generally paralleling and spaced out wardly of said pair of side casing walls, and an additional wall panel generally paralleling and sealed against said additional casing wall, said side wall panels each having an air inlet opening formed therein of total cross-sectional area greater than the total cross-sectional area of each of the first-mentioned air inlet openings of the side walls of the casing and in registry with the first-mentioned air inlet openings, porous air filter means disposed in the side wall panel air inlet openings, said additional wall panel including an air outlet opening which defines with said additional casing wall opening a common air outlet opening from the casing and said cabinet housing, said cabinet housing including an impervious roof panel extending over and outwardly spaced from the side wall panels and the additional wall of the cabinet housing.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said transverse wall comprises an end wall, said cabinet housing including a bottom wall panel generally paralleling and spaced below the bottom wall of said casing, said bottom wall panel having a further air inlet opening formed therein, said further air inlet opening having porous air filtering means operatively associated therewith to filter air flowing therethrough.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,161,027 6/ 1939 Dollinger 98-40 2,269,205 1/1942 Hubbard 6226-Z 2,296,635 9/ 1942 Foehrenbach 9894 2,380,586 7/1945 Essick 98-94 2,588,612 3/ 1952 Brookins 261-97 2,629,235 2/1953 Harris 9894 2,641,404 6 1953 Schuarz 467 2,717,139 9/1955 Jewell 98-94 2,722,404 11/ 1955 Koif 55-269 2,789,494 4/1957 Goettl et a1. 9894 2,901,989 9/ 1959 Mondi 62--262 HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

B. NOZICK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TUBULAR CASING THROUGH WHICH AIR IS ADAPTED TO BE PUMPED AND HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSING SIDE WALLS EACH OF WHICH HAVING AN AIR INLET OPENING AND AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL TRANSVERSE WALL IN WHICH AN AIR OUTLET OPENING IS FORMED, SAID OPENINGS OF THE CASING BEING DEFINED IN AN END PORTION THEREOF, A PROTECTIVE COVER CABINET HOUSING SUPPORTED, IN PART, ON SAID CASING, THE END PORTION OF SAID CASING IN WHICH SAID INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS ARE FORMED BEING ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID CABINET HOUSING,. SAID CABINET HOUSING INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPPOSING SIDE WALL PANELS GENERALLY PARALLELING AND SPACED OUTWARDLY OF SAID PAIR OF SIDE CASING WALLS, AND AN ADDITIONAL WALL PANEL GENERALLY PARALLELING AND SEALED AGAINST SAID ADDITIONAL CASING WALL, SAID SIDE WALL PANELS EACH HAVING AN AIR INLET OPENING FORMED THEREIN OF TOTAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA GREATER THAN THE TOTAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF EACH OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED AIR INLET OPENINGS OF THE SIDE WALLS OF THE CASING AND IN REGISTRY WITH THE FIRST-MENTIONED AIR INLET OPENINGS, POROUS AIR FILTER MEANS DISPOSED IN THE SIDE WALL PANEL AIR INLET OPENINGS, SAID ADDITIONAL WALL PANEL INCLUDING AN AIR OUTLET OPENING WHICH DEFINES WITH SAID ADDITIONAL CASING WALL OPENING A COMMON AIR OUTLET OPENING FROM THE CASING AND SAID CABINET HOUSING, SAID CABINET HOUSING INCLUDING AN IMPERVIOUS ROOF PANEL EXTENDING OVER AND OUTWARDLY SPACED FROM THE SIDE WALL PANELS AND THE ADDITIONAL WALL OF THE CABINET HOUSING. 